Residents in Fowler, California, were left shocked and confused after receiving unreasonably high water bills.
Here's what to know
According to FOX26, city leaders said at a meeting that they had been receiving complaints about bills, with residents challenging whether the charges matched the water they had actually used.
Mayor Juan Mejia said faulty antennas and meters that the city never got around to replacing appeared to be driving the billing issues. The problems occurred in roughly 900 meters, affecting both residents and commercial business customers.
For example, Sophia Suarez's water bill showed more than $3,700, but the Fresno County resident typically pays less than $40 a month.
"So as you can tell, I almost had a heart attack," Suarez said.
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More background
Mejia said the billing problems also included the opposite issue in some cases, with certain residents first getting no charge at all before later adjustments showed up.
"They were getting a zero bill, then they got a corrected bill, an estimated bill, a zero bill," he said.
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He described the billing swings as "a roller coaster ride for our residents and our commercial businesses for months."
The city used grant money in 2020 to swap out more than 1,000 aging meters, but officials think some of those left in place may be part of the billing trouble.
Suarez said residents need the city to communicate more clearly and stay transparent as billing problems come up.
What's being done?
City leaders said the plan is to swap in new meters and start reading them on a regular schedule, which should cut down on corrected or estimated bills. Officials also said they're reviewing refund requests and billing corrections case by case.
Mejia conceded the city had work to do on catching meter problems and handling complaints faster.
Outside of water meter issues, there are other ways to make household bills more predictable and ease financial pressure.
With Palmetto's help, the average Southern California resident can save 40% on their electric bills, which can add up to thousands of dollars per year. That makes the offer especially notable for households trying to avoid the kind of utility bill shock that frustrated Fowler residents.
"It's incredible how slow we are to correct a meter, but how quick we are to bill," Mejia said.
Where can I learn more?
Fowler's billing turmoil is one of several cases involving confusing water charges.
• In California, a new water meter triggered a $1,575 bill after years of estimates.
• A renter discovered a still-spinning meter pointed to a hidden leak behind massive bills.
• In California, summer pricing tiers kept pushing a homeowner's bill higher despite lower use.
• In Texas, residents said a $4,500 meter demand came with threats to shut off water.
• In Terry, Mississippi, a water bill jumped from $28 to $179 without explanation.
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